I really like letting one of my hens hatch and raise chicks. Some folks think it's risky, but it's always gone well for me. I've never even tried an incubator. Letting a mama hen do it is definitely a work-smarter-not-harder way. I don't need a brooder lamp, nor do I have to tend to pasty butt. Mama does it all.

So far so good with the older chickens. They are curious but not aggressive.
Note the whitewash flaking off the walls already! Next time I'll add glue.

It is true that hand-raised chicks have the instincts to find food and water on their own. They also become more accustomed to a human presence and are somewhat more "friendly" as adults. But hen raised chicks seem to have more "street smarts" at an earlier age. Most importantly, I think everybody needs a mother!

There's no place like Mama.

I'll let Mama decide when to take Baby Chicken out into the chicken yard. Her hardware cloth fence is opened a bit during the day so they can explore the coop. So far none of the adult chickens have expressed more than a mild curiosity. Even so Mama does an excellent job of keeping herself between her chick and them (and me). Integrating chicks with the rest of the flock has always been a concern and a challenge, but so far so good. I hope it stays that way.

What a cutie! I've got 1 crossbred duck brooding a clutch of 12 right now, so fingers crossed for lots of cute babies here in a few weeks. Another (a Muscovy) is thinking about it, and I'm letting her gather her eggs to see if she makes up her mind to be a mommy. It's been too cold until very recently.

Buffs make marvellous mothers. We bought ourselves an incubator about 5 years ago and have used it little as we have had so many broody hens of recent years. We had a visit from the fox yesterday. he took two mothers and injured our new cockerel. We couldn't find the chicks and one mother hen immeadiately, but then found her hiding with six chicks under her. She only has one chick of her own. She has them with her still this morning.

What a cute little chick...We have hatched chicks both ways...I like the incubator to replenish my layers quickly...And I like using broody hens(right now I have 6 broody all setting on clutches)as it just so cute to see mama with babies...but around here stray cats and a various sundry other critters always, always get the chicks...so when mama hatches them I take and brood them...they are brooded in the hen house and incooperating them into the flock has never been an issue for us...Again, such a cute and warm pic of mama and baby...Loved it!

Congrats on your baby, and it looks like mama is doing an excellent job. I believe in letting mama hen do it as well. Like you said, work smarter not harder. This year my Vanilli hatched 10 out of 13, and I have two more sitting on 6 each. One of my muscovy ducks hatched out 13, but we've lost two. Lots of babies around here, so extra mamas are necessary. I couldn't keep up with everyone of them!

It always amazes me that a mama hen will have her three-day old chicks out in the foulest weather while we need to keep hatchery ordered chicks tucked in a warm brooder for weeks and weeks!

So far, hubby and I both like the Black Australorp breed best (and we've had a lot of different ones). They are such good egg producers for us and are a fairly big, bird for stewing BUT we've yet to have one go broody on us. Good thing we have bantam mamas who will sit on and hatch out anything!

Are you having any concern with your cats out on the prowl? We're about to close on our property, and DH is wanting some barn cats so terribly (he's allergic and can't have them in the house). We've had rat issues on our suburban farm, so I know cats would help with that, and our experience hatching out a chick is definitely something I want to repeat. I'm not sure how to introduce both species without some serious forethought.

5 Acres & A Dream. The dream has always been to live close to the land. The 5 acres came in 2009, when my husband Dan and I bought a neglected 1920s-built bungalow on 5 acres. The goal is simpler, sustainable, more self-reliant living, and a return to agrarian values.

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